Outlander wouldn’t be the same without Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe as Jamie and Claire Fraser respectively – but who almost replaced the latter?
Outlander would look very different without actress Caitriona Balfe as Claire Fraser but a couple of her co-stars were actually also up for the role.
The Lionsgate+ romantic drama is currently on hiatus as season seven part one reached its climax last month.
Subscribers are eagerly awaiting its return as the midseason finale saw Jamie (played by Sam Heughan), Claire Fraser (Caitriona Balfe) and Ian (John Bell) spot the Scottish coast on board a British ship.
They were relieved to know they were almost to be reunited with their loved ones but there is bound to be more trouble ahead upon their return to Fraser’s Ridge.
While fans are used to seeing actress Balfe as the fiery yet tentative doctor, it wasn’t always guaranteed that she would take on the role.
Which Outlander co-stars nearly played Claire Fraser instead of Caitriona Balfe?
Before Outlander starting in August 2014, Balfe was among a number of women who were called back to read for Claire.
Little did she know that two of her competitors would actually be her future co-stars in the drama.
One of those who auditioned for Claire is none other than actress Nell Hudson who is behind Laoghaire MacKenzie in the drama.
She did actually marry Jamie herself after Claire’s disappearance but their marriage was declared void as Laoghaire didn’t share any children together.
Since then, Hudson has also had roles in Death in Paradise, The Irregulars, Toast of Tinseltown and Haunting of the Queen Mary.
Another Outlander co-star who had a chance at playing Claire was actress Laura Donnelly who is behind Jamie’s sister Jenny Murray.
The Northern Irish actress is also recognised for her parts in Britannia, Missing and The Fall with Jamie Dornan.
Opening up to Entertainment Weekly in 2015, Heughan confirmed: “I remember we auditioned Laura Donnelly, who now plays Jenny Fraser, who is my sister on the show.
“I got to read with her. I got to read with Nell, who plays Laoghaire.”
Then when cheekily asked by EW, Heughan added: “Yeah, I made out with my sister!”
Outlander season seven part one finished on August 11 and hasn’t been seen since.
Sadly, part two isn’t expected to come out until 2024 so subscribers have got some time to wait until the show makes a comeback.
